September is slipping away, the leaves are starting to turn and fall TV is finally filling up the calendar. Which means there’s no shortage of what to watch this weekend across Netflix, Prime Video and other streaming services, plus broadcast and cable.
As Tom’s Guide’s streaming editor, I watch TV and movies for a living, and I’ve curated and ranked the week’s most notable new releases so you can skip the endless scrolling and get straight to the good stuff. This week has a little bit of everything, from the Matthew McConaughey-Woody Harrelson buddy comedy “Brothers” to the deliciously ridiculous “American Horror Story: 13” and more doctor drama in “Best Medicine” season 2. On the movie side, “The Love Hypothesis” sets up a romance experiment and Pixar's “Toy Story 5” hits Disney+.
So grab a blanket, settle in and enjoy those increasingly fall-like evenings. Here’s my weekend watchlist, ranked in must-watch factor.
1. ‘Brothers’ (Apple TV)
Genre: Comedy
Available now: 2 episodes (about 30 min each)
What it's about: Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson play exaggerated versions of themselves, with Woody decamping to Matthew’s Texas ranch after his daughter’s wedding falls apart. Then Matthew’s mom, Ma Mac (Holland Taylor), drops a bombshell on Woody: The longtime friends may share a biological father. He launches an investigation, which is complicated by Matthew's run for governor.
Why it’s worth your time: If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if two of Hollywood’s most famously kooky best friends turned a decades-old rumor into a sitcom, here’s your answer. McConaughey and Harrelson's chemistry is as crackling as ever.
Where to stream: Apple TV
2. 'The Love Hypothesis' (Prime Video)
Genre: Romantic comedy
Runtime: 1 hour 52 min
What it’s about: Olive (Lili Reinhart) is a Stanford PhD candidate who makes one impulsive mistake: kissing intimidating professor Adam Carlsen (Tom Bateman) to convince her best friend she’s over her crush on their classmate. Adam, conveniently, needs a fake girlfriend, too. But soon, they realize that their supposedly emotion-free arrangement has developed a rather inconvenient variable: actual feelings.
Why it’s worth your time: Ali Hazelwood’s bestselling romance gets a glossy adaptation that leans into all the rom-com tropes: fake dating, enemies-to-lovers tension and an obligatory shirtless sunscreen scene. Hot scientists falling in love? Sign me up for that experiment.
Where to stream: Prime Video
3. ‘A Different World’ (Netflix)
Genre: Comedy-drama
Available now: 10 episodes (about 33 min each)
What it's about: Deborah Wayne (Maleah Joi Moon), the daughter of the original series leads Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison) and Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy), arrives at her parents’ alma mater ready to carve out her own identity. Between a new roommate, old romantic baggage and the usual freshman-year messiness, she has plenty to prove.
Why it's worth your time: Hillman is back, baby. The new generation gets the spotlight, but the returning cast gives this sequel some nostalgic oomph, with Debbie Allen back as a director and familiar faces including Darryl M. Bell, Cree Summer and Jada Pinkett Smith popping up.
Where to stream: Netflix
4. ‘American Horror Story: 13’ (FX/Hulu)
Genre: Horror anthology
Available now: 1 episode (about 42 min)
What it's about: Ryan Murphy is raiding the "AHS" vault for its 13th season, bringing back a parade of familiar faces and some very familiar nightmares. Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Emma Roberts and company are reprising fan-favorite roles, while old costumes and Easter eggs promise a creepy trip down memory lane.
Why it's worth your time: This is "American Horror Story" with the nostalgia dial cranked to 13. Constance, Cordelia, Madison, Marie Laveau, Rubber Man and Twisty the Clown are all back in the mix, making this less a new chapter than a haunted family reunion.
Where to watch: Hulu
5. ‘Saturday Night Live’ season 52 (NBC)
Genre: Sketch comedy
Premiere date: Episode 1 on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 11:30 p.m. ET
What it's about: “SNL” returns for season 52 with a freshly crowned New York Knicks champion Jalen Brunson makes his hosting debut, with KATSEYE performing as musical guest. Meanwhile, new cast members Saidah Belo-Osagie and Grace Reiter join the returning players, including "Weekend Update" anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che and 24-season veteran Kenan Thompson.
Why it's worth your time: Brunson has already conquered the Knicks’ 53-year championship drought, so naturally the next challenge is surviving Studio 8H. He’s also the first Knicks player to host, making this a particularly New York-y premiere.
Where to watch: NBC and next day on Peacock
6. ‘Line of Fire’ (NBC)
Genre: Crime drama
Available now: 1 episode (about 42 min)
What it's about: Meet the Hollingsworths, a family whose members all work in federal law enforcement. Mike (Peter Krause) is Secret Service, Jane (Hope Davis) is a U.S. Marshal, and their three children work across various branches. When a routine murder investigation reveals a conspiracy targeting agents, the family has to put aside its many issues and protect one another.
Why it's worth your time: "Line of Fire" is your standard procedural that serves up a whopping dose of family dysfunction. Weekly cases mix with a larger conspiracy; think Thanksgiving dinner where everyone has a badge and several unresolved grievances.
Where to watch: Peacock
7. ‘Best Medicine’ season 2 (Fox)
Genre: Medical comedy-drama
Available now: 1 episode (around 42 min)
What it's about: Dr. Martin Best (Josh Charles) continues practicing in Port Wenn, where his medical license is under scrutiny and his blood phobia remains a rather significant occupational hazard. Then a mermaid washes ashore, because apparently regular patients weren't enough. Meanwhile, Louisa (Abigail Spencer) is navigating her complicated relationship with Martin and Eden (Eliza Coupe), while the town's sea-urchin boom starts going sideways.
Why it's worth your time: Season 2 doubles down on the show's wonderfully odd medical mysteries and Port Wenn's lovable weirdos, with Andrea Martin joining the fun as Aunt Sarah's troublemaking friend Judith.
Where to watch: Hulu
8. ‘S.W.A.T. Exiles’ (Starz)
Genre: Action drama
Premiere date: Episode 1 on Friday, Sept. 25 at 10 p.m. ET
What it’s about: Two years after a botched raid gets Hondo (Shemar Moore) pushed into retirement, his old commander pulls him back for one last assignment: Lead a S.W.A.T. unit assembled from the department’s overlooked talent. The recruits have plenty to prove, while Hondo has plenty of reasons not to trust the system.
Why it’s worth your time: "S.W.A.T." is back, but Hondo has really been through it. This version trades some of the old procedural routine for a more serialized story, with the new squad’s weekly missions tied to a bigger mystery about why these particular outsiders were put together.
Where to watch: Starz
9. ‘Toy Story 5’ (Disney+)
Genre: Animated comedy-drama
Runtime: 1 hour 42 min
What it's about: Pixar’s greatest franchise is back, this time pitting toys vs. tech. Eight-year-old Bonnie gets a frog-shaped tablet named Lilypad, who quickly becomes her new favorite playmate. Jessie, still carrying the emotional baggage of being abandoned by Emily, leads Woody, Buzz and the gang in a mission to save playtime.
Why it's worth your time: Yes, “Toy Story 5” is an unnecessary sequel. And yet, it still hits you in the feels. Jessie gets the spotlight, giving the franchise a fresh emotional center, while the toys-vs.-tech premise takes some gentle swings at screen obsession without becoming “Old Man Yells at iPad.” It’s safe and sentimental, basically Pixar doing what Pixar does best.
Where to stream: Disney+
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